Sr. Payroll Specialist (Temporary Assignment)
Atlanta, GATemporarySeen 6 days agoSeen in employer's feed 6 days ago
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Job overview
The Senior Payroll Specialist is a temporary assignment lasting 4–6 months, responsible for accurate and timely payroll processing and compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. The role provides advanced support for payroll administration, tax compliance, reconciliations, audits, reporting, and system maintenance. It also supports payroll system implementation activities and responds to employee and manager inquiries.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Full job description
Sr. Payroll Specialist (Temporary Assignment) Bookmark this Posting Print Preview | Apply for this Job
Please see Special Instructions for more details.
Employment in this role may be contingent upon extramural funding and successful performance and may be terminated or reduced in percentage of appointment if such funding is not secured or ceases to be available.
Posting Details
Position Information
About MSM
Morehouse School of Medicine ( MSM ) is a place of distinction, serving as the nation’s leading academic medical center for vulnerable populations. It’s also a place for passionate individuals looking to join a dedicated community working today to help prepare tomorrow’s leaders.
We exist to:
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Improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities;
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Increase the diversity of the health professional and scientific workforce;
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Address primary health care through programs in education, research and service;
With emphasis on people of color and the under-served urban and rural populations in Georgia, the nation and the world.
At Morehouse School of Medicine, we’re leading the creation and advancement of health equity. You will find a fulfilling career at MSM !
Posting Number NONAC3817
Job Title Sr. Payroll Specialist (Temporary Assignment)
Position Title Sr. Payroll Specialist (Temporary Assignment)
Position Type Non-Faculty
Number of vacancies 1
Salary Commensurate upon experience
Department Office of The Controller
Position Summary
Position Summary
The Senior Payroll Specialist is a 4-6 month Temporary Assignment, that will be responsible for the accurate and timely processing of payroll while ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. This position serves as a subject matter expert for payroll processing and provides advanced support in payroll administration, payroll tax compliance, reconciliations, auditing, reporting, and support for system maintenance.
Payroll Processing
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Process biweekly and off-cycle payrolls accurately and within established deadlines.
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Review payroll input for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with organizational policies.
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Validate earnings, deductions, taxes, benefits, garnishments, and leave balances.
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Research and resolve payroll discrepancies in a timely manner.
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Calculate and process retroactive payments, supplemental payments, overpayments, and payroll adjustments.
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Utilize Banner Ellucian to support payroll processing and report activities.
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Review and audit employee job, compensation, and tax data interfaces between systems and support Workday implementation activities.
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Perform payroll reconciliations and identify system integration issues.
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Support system testing, upgrades, implementations, and configuration changes.
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Assist with payroll-related process improvements and automation initiatives.
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Perform payroll audits to ensure data accuracy and regulatory compliance.
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Reconcile payroll registers, tax reports, benefit deductions, and general ledger accounts.
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Investigate and resolve payroll variances and exceptions.
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Prepare audit documentation and support internal and external audit requests.
Compliance and Tax Administration
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Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local wage and hour regulations.
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Maintain compliance with IRS , Social Security Administration, and applicable state tax requirements.
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Process tax payments in the current system and support ADP tax services after go-live in January.
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Administer wage garnishments, tax levies, child support orders, and other involuntary deductions.
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Assist with year-end payroll activities, including Form W-2 preparation and reconciliation.
Customer Service
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Respond to employee and manager payroll inquiries professionally and promptly.
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Educate employees regarding payroll policies, taxation, deductions, and earnings calculations.
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Maintain confidentiality of payroll and employee information.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
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Advanced knowledge of payroll laws and regulations.
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Strong understanding of payroll taxation and wage-and-hour requirements.
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Proficiency with Banner Ellucian Payroll and Workday Payroll.
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Strong analytical and reconciliation skills.
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Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including VLOOKUP , pivot tables, and data analysis.
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Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet strict deadlines.
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Excellent problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
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Strong verbal and written communication skills.
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Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy.
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Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment.
Minimum Qualifications
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Minimum of 5 years of progressive payroll experience.
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Minimum of 3 years of experience processing payroll using Banner Ellucian and/or Workday.
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Experience processing multi-state payrolls.
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Experience with payroll tax compliance and reconciliations.
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Experience supporting payroll audits and year-end activities.
Preferred Qualifications
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Higher education payroll experience, faculty compensation, residence or graduate assistant payments, and grant-funded employees.
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Experience with payroll system implementations, upgrades, or conversions.
Closing Date
Open Until Filled No
Special Instructions to Applicants
Employment in this role may be contingent upon extramural funding and successful performance and may be terminated or reduced in percentage of appointment if such funding is not secured or ceases to be available.
Quick Link https://careers.msm.edu/postings/24712
EEO Statement Summary
Morehouse School of Medicine is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with all Federal and Georgia State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. Morehouse School of Medicine does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression.
Job Duties
Description of Job Duty
Pre-Employment/Employment Requirements
All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of all pre-employment screenings.
Immunization
Immunization Requirements
It is MSM’s Immunization policy that all Prospective Employees are encouraged to provide proof that they are vaccinated against COVID -19 prior to commencement of employment. If employment will commence during Flu Season, MSM requires all individuals to provide proof that they are vaccinated against Seasonal Influenza for the current Flu Season, unless granted an exemption. Failure to provide proof of vaccination for any required vaccines or obtain an exemption from MSM will result in rescission of a candidate’s offer of employment or disciplinary action up to and including termination.
Posting Specific Questions
Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
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- What is the highest level of education you have completed?
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Terminal degree (Ph.D., Ed.D., J.D. or other) from a regionally accredited college or university
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Masters degree from a regionally accredited college or univeristy
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Bachelors degree from a regionally accredited college or university
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Associate's degree from a regionally accredited college or university
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High School diploma or GED
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My college degrees were conferred but are not accredited or recognized by the Dept. of Education
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- How many years of hands-on experience do you have using Workday Payroll, and what payroll functions have you performed within the system?
(Open Ended Question)
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- What is the largest number of employees for whom you have been directly responsible for processing payroll during a single pay cycle?
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Fewer than 500 employees
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500–999 employees
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2,500–4,999 employees
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5,000 or more employees
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- What is your hourly salary requirement?
(Open Ended Question)
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- This position requires working onsite at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. Are you willing and able to work onsite as required?
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Yes
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No
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- What is your date of availability?
(Open Ended Question)
Applicant Documents
Required Documents
- Curriculum Vitae or Resume
Optional Documents
- Cover Letter
How this job compares
Set against the 627 open Payroll Specialist jobs on Olive Jobs, counted October 30, 2026.
- Pay
- This postingNot listed
- US median$65–90K/yr81 salary ranges
- US median$26–33/hr171 hourly ranges
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 22 open Payroll Specialist jobs in Georgia and 627 across the US. 4% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Hiring the most in Georgia
- ADP5 open
- State of Georgia3 open
- Distro2 open
- Experience
- This posting asks for at least 5 years of experience — more than three in four Payroll Specialist postings that state a minimum ask for (median 2 years, across 439 postings).
- Education
- 33 of the 627 open Payroll Specialist jobs (5%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on October 30, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.
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